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The incident reportedly came after a group discussion about hair, during which Ng mocked his baldness.
Interim Transport Minister and MBTA General Manager Phil Ng spoke at the renovated Foxborough station ahead of the World Cup. Mark Stockwell for The Boston Globe, file
MBTA General Manager Philip Ng, the state’s top transit official, apologized for an “insensitive interaction” he had during a 2024 team dinner where he allegedly pulled the hair of another employee at the T.
The incident occurred while having dinner with MBTA employees and their spouses WHDH. The group reportedly discussed hair earlier in the evening, and Ng made fun of his baldness, media reported.
Eng, who has led the T since 2023, serves as the state’s interim transportation secretary.
“My goal is always to lead with respect and inclusion. I know this was a mistake, and I admit it,” he told WHDH in a statement. “I have fully apologized to this employee and have reflected on my actions. I am committed to learning from this experience and maintaining the highest standards of professionalism in all my dealings as Secretary and General Manager.”
The MBTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning. The 2024 incident was first reported by Contrasting Boston.
according to WCVBthe employee whose hair was pulled by the engineer raised his concerns with the MBTA’s human resources and legal departments but never filed a formal complaint.
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